Barnardos set to host information session in Nowra

CARERS NEEDED: Barnardos' Jen Newton will be at The Cake Store in Kinghorne Street on Monday, May 1 to give information and answer any questions about being a short-term foster carer.

If you have a lot of love to give and want to change a child’s life, Barnardos is looking for you.

Barnardos will be hosting an information session on Monday, May 1 from 10am to 12.30pm at the The Cake Store in Kinghorne Street, Nowra.

Anyone interested in short term foster care is encouraged to head along, enjoy a coffee and cake with Bernardos’ Jen Newton and find out more about being a short-term foster carer.

Ms Newton said short-term foster carers are generally needed for a period of 12 to 18 months while children go through the court system in the search for a permanent home.

“It may come as a surprise to people but across NSW there’s 18,000 a children a night minimally that need a foster home and Nowra is now exception,” she said.

“We’re looking for people from about 18 to mid 70s who have a heart to be able to change the lives of children and able to provide good, high quality care.”

Barnardos is hoping to find around six carers within the next 12 months in the Nowra region.

Requirements include having a love for children but also be able to able to stay at home the majority of the time, with most of the children Barnardos is looking for homes for aged between zero and five years.

Ms Newton said common concerns of foster carers generally revolve around children’s behaviours.

“Often carers come with a level of anxiety about what they might expect in children and their behaviours but our staff are here to train carers to make sure they’re skilled up to be able to handle any behaviours,” she said.

“Children in the care system have experienced trauma so it is 100 per cent expected that you will see some type of behaviour that is outside of the norm.

“There’s nothing that we haven’t had that we can’t help you with however.”

Ms Newton encouraged anyone interested in becoming for a foster carer or just after some more information, to head along to the information session.

“Come along, I’ll even buy you a coffee and cake,” she said.

“If you want to just some some information that’s fine, there’s no pressure.”

Barnardos provide a generous allowance and 24 hour support and training.